Lakewood council votes on process for appointing member to replace Van Nostran

LAKEWOOD - The Lakewood City Council voted Tuesday night on a process to fill the unexpired council seat of longtime councilman Larry Van Nostran, who died Nov. 9.

The council plans to take applications in the hopes of appointing a qualified resident to the seat, but if they don't find what they're looking for, they could decide to have a special election instead.

Under the process approved by the council, an applicant must be a Lakewood resident and a registered voter. The application package must be picked up in person from the City Clerk's Office at Lakewood City Hall and submitted to that office no later than noon Monday.

During the in-person visit, the staff will explain the state-mandated statement of economic interests and other requirements of the position, said city spokesman Bill Grady.

Applications will be reviewed during next Tuesday's council meeting at 6 p.m. If a selection isn't made at that time, it may be made at a later date, Grady said.

According to state law, the council must make an appointment by Jan. 8 or schedule a special election for June 4 to fill the position.

The city clerk estimates a special election would cost Lakewood between $80,000 and $100,000.

The new council member would hold office until March 24, 2015. The application and an applicant information sheet may be viewed at www.lakewoodcity.org.

Lakewood City Hall is located at 5050 Clark Ave. Call 562-866-9771 for more information.